Ezra and I paused in front of Alpha Alpha Raymond and Luna Addison on our way out. “Thank you for arranging a ride home,” I told them. "This evening has been lovely but more tiring than I could imagine.” My shoulders hunched inward.
“Yes, yes.” The Luna waved me off.
“And thank you for the invitation, Hudson,” I said to him over my shoulder. “It was too kind.”
I half-wanted Ezra to stay behind to assess and monitor the situation, to be my eyes and ears here.
I was itching to know what would be said after I left.
That would be the smart thing to do, to insist he find a way out of being my escort. But an overwhelming part of me I couldn’t name, wanted the few minutes alone with him in the car. I needed a few moments to be myself, to drop the mask, and feel safe.
I hoped I wasn’t risk
